A weekend dancing the Blues in the romantic city of Porto

19 - 23 March 2020

Parties in the centre at the famous Casa da Música!

Group Discount

Everything comes out in blues music: joy, pain, struggle. Blues is affirmation with absolute elegance. It's about a man and a woman. So the pain and the struggle in the blues is that universal pain that comes from having your heart broken. Most blues songs are not about social statements.

Wynton Marsalis

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The blues was bleeding the same blood as me.

B.B. King

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Blues is a natural fact, is something that a fellow lives. If you don't live it you don't have it.

Big Bill Broonzy

Atlantic Blues • 19 – 23 March 2020 • Porto, Portugal

Blues must be felt and experienced, and it requires the soul to transmit that feeling. Here on the edge of Europe, with one ear on the minor key of the Atlantic waves crashing against a rugged coast, Portugal has that soul. Pining for a loved one, yearning for what might have been, feeling nostalgic for the past, dreaming of a better future – Portugal gets this and even has its own form of the Blues, known as Fado. Come find the nostalgia, the romance, and the dreaminess of Blues in the quaint and cozy city of Porto. Feel the music and the dance – against the haunting background of this romantic city on the sea.

Blues is firmly rooted in African rhythms and movements, developed in very intimate settings like juke joints and house parties. With these influences, Blues is a dance that emphasizes body movement that’s extremely linked to the music – the music itself dictates the dance. Never much of a show dance, but rather an intimate conversation between the dancers and the music, Blues dance grants freedom of personal expression and a strong intense connection with a partner.

At Swing Station we think of learning as a progressive and interesting journey, combining technique with the joy of dance. So for this year at Atlantic Blues we want to bring you classes that cover the wide world of Blues dance, from Ballroom to Juke Joint, with a range of tempos and musical styles. We want you to learn how to move your body with a Blues aesthetic, communicating with your partner and expressing yourself.